


free choice

by magichistorian



Series: SenGen Week 2019 [7]
Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Spoilers!!, maybe?? - Freeform, more cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 00:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22127347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magichistorian/pseuds/magichistorian
Summary: Gen is still haunted by the experience of being turned to stone for 3,700 years. Going through it again only makes it worse.
Relationships: Asagiri Gen/Ishigami Senkuu
Series: SenGen Week 2019 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1584946
Comments: 7
Kudos: 224





	free choice

**Author's Note:**

> This came around when I was reading the manga and found several instances implying Gen had ptsd/trauma around the petrification, and wanted to write about it. I didn't have any other ideas for today, so I used this idea! I was really hoping to dig into this some more so I definitely plan to come back and at least fix it up some, but have this (on time) version for now! 
> 
> ft Ukyo a bit because as much as I adore Gen, he is my favorite
> 
> This covers a very very vague interpretation of events post ch 134, so this will probably become super inaccurate :/

From the moment he had seen the docked crew members, his friends, petrified right in front of his eyes, all Gen could feel was fear. 

He had spent numerous nights after the first time wide awake, unable to sleep, just staring at his fingers; willing them to stay. He knew it was irrational, but he was unable to shake the feeling that the second he looked away, his fingers would turn grey again, maybe start crumbling this time too. 

As the months passed by in the Kingdom of Science, those nights became fewer and farther between. The occasional nightmare, or a jolt of panic when he some mud on his hands that, out of the corner of his eyes, looked like stone.

It hardly crossed his mind as they began the new age of exploration, crossing the boundary into the unknown. 

And then. And then they were all stone again. And it was only a matter of time before it took him too, unable to move, unable to scream, his only choice between counting the endless seconds in agony or slipping away out of his own control, perhaps to never wake up again. 

He knew, as a man of the mind, that he needed to take time. Regain his composure. Get some sleep and clear his thoughts. But he couldn't, because they needed him. And he needed to be needed more than anything. 

It turned his stomach to see all of his friends turned to stone and tossed away so carelessly. He knew he couldn't have done anything, would have only gotten petrified himself if he stayed, but he still couldn't shake the deep-seated, sick churn of shame. He should have assumed they were hostile and thought of a better plan, done anything to save his friends. 

And then they all came back. Except, they were excited? The villagers were all chattering, cheerfully talking about how cool it was to be petrified, how that had always wanted a chance to experience it.

Gen felt sick. How could they like it? It wasn't something to joke and laugh about. He supposed being petrified for only a couple of days was a world of difference to 3,700 years, and yet he couldn't bear to listen to them.

And then, only a few days later after they had finally saved everybody after he was sure they were safe- because they had a plan and Senku's plans never failed -it all fell apart again. 

He knew the plan, knew he was going to turn back to stone no matter what at that point. Despite this, he wasn't as afraid as he was expecting to be. 

It was Senku, he knew. He trusted Senku, trusted him with his life. So he followed the plan- because Senku's plans never failed -and let his body turn to stone.

If he had been fine at first, it was not long until he wasn't. It wasn't that he had forgotten, no, it was that in the year since the last time he had been petrified, the overwhelming panic had faded. 

He couldn't move. What if Senku had failed? What if they were all stone and he just didn't know it? Except this time there would be no depetrification, because they would all be buried on the ocean floor until they crumbled to dust. 

Gen waited and he waited and he waited and then, he felt himself cracking, breaking free. 

He was crying before he was completely freed. Senku must have known -of course he did, he knew everything- because he was standing there, waiting for him.

He crumpled into Senku's arms, overwhelmed by a toppling myriad of relief, lingering panic, and affection. Senku was saying something he couldn't really hear, likely comfort of some sort; affirmations of safety, and a wonderfully grounding hand, just resting there on his back. 

(He was far too preoccupied to notice, but Gen had been the first of the crewmates to be depetrified. Senku had hardly offered a glance at the other statues until he could feel Gen safe and alive in his arms.)

When Gen finally pulled himself back together (metaphorically; luckily), his attention immediately went to his friends. With both of them working, it wasn't too long until they were all depetrified once more. 

He completely avoided the villagers, unwilling to hear them excitedly discuss the process of petrification. 

He made his way over to Ukyo, who didn't look much better than he felt. It was no surprise, not to Gen. As terrifying as being repetrified was, he at least didn't have to experience it twice. And he knew if he didn't do anything, Ukyo would say nothing and suffer in silence. 

So they sat and talked for hours until it was getting dark and they all collectively realized just how exhausted they all were.

To his utter misery but absolute lack of surprise, Gen couldn't fall asleep. As much as he wrung his hands together to convince himself they were still soft and warm, the edge of paranoia wouldn't leave his thoughts. 

After around a half-hour of this, he gave up. He crept out of his bed and made his way to where Senku was sleeping. Either he was a light sleeper or he was awake too, because Gen had hardly reached his bed when Senku's form shuffled around and sat up, facing him. (Or so he assumed, at least. He could barely see anything in the darkness.)

Neither of them said anything. Neither had to say anything either, because Senku shifted over without hesitation, patting the newly opened space next to him in a silent welcome. Gen didn't hesitate either, shuffling into the bed. It was by no means a spacious bed, but they both fit just fine. And neither were looking for significant personal space either, so it didn't matter anyway. 

Senku gently curled his arm around Gen, pulling him in closer. 

He didn't say much, only the occasional "you're okay." and "I won't let anybody be petrified again" and "it's alright to be scared." 

That was alright with Gen anyway. He felt his terror wash away with Senku, the panic settling into an hardly-there unease. 

He could be scared again tomorrow. That night, he would feel only safety with Senku.

**Author's Note:**

> my [Tumblr](https://emilswrites.tumblr.com/)! Feel free to put in a request, or just say hi:)


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